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Would you use a kitchen fork to dig a six-foot hole in your back yard?

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One of the most comprehensive search engine out there at the moment seems to be Google, and that's what we'll focus on here.

The first step in becoming a facile catcher of web pages is to master Google's Advanced Search form located at http://www.google.com/advanced_search.

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If you make a habit of using the four techniques described below, you'll be a much better searcher than 90% of all the web-users.

It's just four things, and each will provide you with a better net for information catching.

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The biggest problem people have with search engines (perhaps) is that they're so good!

If you know what you're after, why not start by asking for it as precisely as you can?

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Think of all the words that would always appear on the perfect page. Put those in the WITH ALL THE WORDS field.

What words can you think of that might not, help you eliminate those pages? Put those in the WITHOUT field.

If there's a term with synonyms, either of which might appear on the page you're after, put them in the WITH ANY OF THE WORDS field.

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Try each of the searches now, and record how many sites you find.As you do each search, take note of what kinds of things turn up. Notice that the more specific the terms you include and exclude, the more focused your search.

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Query # Matches Imagine that you're interested in the legendary lost continent of Atlantis. There have been several movies with Atlantis in the title, but you're not interested in them. You are also not interested in the space shuttle Atlantis.

all these words: Atlantis

this exact wording or phrase: Atlantis continent

any of these unwanted words: shuttle film movie

About 937,000

About 26,100

About 12,500

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97%

98%

You've heard of a fine public university in the lower left corner of the United States and you want to know more about it. Try this search...

Query # MatchesEXACT PHRASE:

San Diego State University

About 1,580,000 results (0.09 seconds)

This is obviously useful for finding things that have a proper name consisting of several words (e.g., places, book titles, people).

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The next net is not Google-specific, though you'll find yourself using it often once you get better at Googling. Trim the URL step by step

You found this Romeo & Juliet WebQuest that you really like. . http://oncampus.richmond.edu/education/projects/webquests/shakespeare/

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Are there more like that where this one came from? Start here:http://oncampus.richmond.edu/education/projects/webquests

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• Once you've found something you like on Google, it's very easy (and useful) to find similar pages.

• Below the advanced search fields that you've been using up until now are another two fields. These allow you to find pages that Google has deemed to be similar to or linked to any URL you type in.

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Suppose that you've discovered Tapped In, an online community of educators, and you're wondering what else like that is out there. Using Google's similarity search will surface a number of sites that are likely to interest you. SIMILAR TO: www.tappedin.org

Another way to explore a domain is to find out who else is linked to a page. Who else finds Tapped In useful enough to include on one of their pages? LINKED TO: www.tappedin.org

Query # Matches

About 162 results (0.24 seconds)

About 312 results (0.24 seconds)

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will help you to remember the four techniques you just experimented with:

• Start Narrow

• Use Exact Phrases

• Trim the URL

• Seak Similar Pages

So, to recap...... remembering the word

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http://www.bcps.org/offices/lis/models/tips/searching.htm

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